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(No Model.)

0. F; GROOKETT.

CARPET STRETOHER AND TACK DRIVER COMBINED.

No. 322,799. Patented July 21,, 1885.

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- BY ZQJ M dffg ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. OROOKETT, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK.

CARPET-STRETCHER AND TACK-DRIVER COMBINED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,799, dated July 21, 1885.

Application filed April23, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES F. ORooK- ETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Carpet- Stretcher and Tack-Driver Combined, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists in the combination, with the handle which carries the stretcher, of a tubular hammer-guide secured in a longitudinal groove formed in the handle, a tack-feeder which communicates with the hammer-guide, a hammer which extends through the hammer-guide and forms a cutoff for the tack-feeder, and a finger-piece secured to said hammer, so that when the hammer is raised by means of the fingerpiece high enough to uncover the inner end of the tack-feeder, the tack contained in said tack-feeder drops down through the hammerguide, and that by means of said fingerpiece the hammer can be manipulated so as to drive thetack home, while at the same time the stretcher serves to retain the carpet in the required position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front view. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation when the hammer is raised, so as to uncover the inner end of the tackfeeder. Fig. 3 is a similar view when the hammer is down. Fig. 4 is a transverse section in the plane 00 m, Fig. 2.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, the letter A designates the handle to which the carpet-stretcher B is secured. This carpet-stretcher may be constructed of a stock, a, and a pronged steel plate, I), as shown, or it may be made in any other form, such as are already known and suitable for the purpose, such stretcher in itself forming no part of my present invention. The handle A is provided with a semicircular groove, 0, extending through-' out its entire length, and in this groove is secured the tubular hammer-guideO. In the example shown in the drawings, metallic straps d are used for retaining the hammerguide in position in the groove 0,- but I do not wish to confine myself to this precise method of securing the hammer-guide, slnce other means may be used in place of straps (1 without departing from the spirit of my 1nvention. Said hammer-guide extends down a little below the inner ends of the prongs of the stretcher B, and it extends up in the groove 0 about two-thirds of its length, as shown.

D is the hammer, which consists of a cylindrical rod of iron or steel fitting the gu1de O loosely, so that it can be easily moved up and down therein. To the upper end of said hammer is firmly secured a finger-p1ece, E, which serves as a handle for manipulating said hammer, and when the hammer is down this fingerpiece bears upon the upper end of the hammer-guide, and the lower end ofthe hammer projects beyond the hammer-guide to a level with the points of the prongs of the stretcher, ora little below, as shoyvn n Fig. 1. From the hammer-guide extends in an oblique direction a tube, F, which forms the tack-feeder. When the hammer is down, the opening leading from the tack-feeder into the hammer-guide is closed, and a tack introduced into the tack-feeder is retained in the position shownin Fig. 3; but if the hammer'is raised to the position shown in Fig. 2, the tack is free to enter the hammer-guide and to drop down so that its point rests upon the carpet. If the hammer is then brought down, the tack can:be readily driven through the carpet into the floor by a few blows of the hammer, the hammer being manipulated by means of the finger-piece E. At the same time the carpet is retained in the required 'position by means of the stretcher B.

A tray, P, for tacks may be secured to the handle.

I am aware that a carpet-stretcher and tack-driver combined is not new, and that such an article has been made with a hammerguide, a hammer, and a tack-feeder leading into the hammer-guide. Such I do not claim as my invention. 7 I

What I'claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is g The combination, with the handle which carries the carpet-stretcher,of a tubular hztm- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set mer-guide, a, longitudinal groove formed in myhandand seal in the presence of two subto the handle for receiving said hammer-guide, scribing witnesses. a tack-feeder which communicates with the 5 hammerguide, a, hammer which extends CHARLES GROOKETT through the hammer-guide,and a finger-piece WVitnesses: secured to said hammer, substantially as shown W. HAUFF, and described. E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

